In copier/duplicator systems and in duplicator/printer systems, there is need for providing job separation of the sheets fed to the collection station as the output of the equipment. For example, in a duplicator/printer system, there are two collection stations, one for use when the system is operating as a duplicator and another for use when the system is operating as a printer. Typically, the equipment, when functioning in the duplicator mode, either collates the output by collecting the copy sheets in separate bins with a single collated set or job in each bin; or the copy sheets are simply collected in a single stack, uncollated, but with the desired number of copies of each sheet grouped together one on top of the other as separate jobs.
When such equipment is operated in the printer mode, copy sheets are produced from electronic information such as magnetic cards or computers. In this mode, the entire information is printed onto the required number of successive sheets to form an individual print job, with the sheets of the job properly collated. This process is then repeated the required number of times to make the desired number of copies of the job. With the present construction of duplicator/printer systems, the successive jobs are fed to a print exit pocket where they are collected in a single stack.
Where the copy sheets are finally collected in a single stack, uncollated or collated, it is desirable to form the stack in such a way whereby the successive jobs are visually identifiable. For this purpose, it is generally known to offset each job with respect to the next job in the stack. Typical arrangements have included separate sheet feeding mechanisms alternately operable on the sheets of each successive job. With this type of construction, each alternate job is fed into the stack by one or the other of the feeding mechanisms which are arranged to effect the offset relation. Other devices for offsetting successive jobs in a single stack involve oscillating the collecting bin in which the stack is collected. In particular, the bin is moved to one position for receiving every other job while it is moved to the second position for receiving the remaining jobs. The successive jobs therefore become offset laterally in the formed stack. Still another arrangement for offsetting jobs collected in a single stack includes the use of a stop device for controlling the extent to which each job is fed into the collecting bin. With this construction, individual jobs are offset longitudinally of their path of movement into the bin.